Gas supply valve for gas-powered vehicle

Abstract

A gas inlet member is fixed to a valve body and an upper part stem and a lower part stem are inserted slidably into a vertical stem opening above the gas inlet member. A valve member is provided in the gas inlet member and a gas flow passage is formed. A ring-like seal member is mounted onto the upper part stem and an O-ring is fixed to the lower part stem. A part of the valve member disposed at the lower end portion of the valve body is merely inserted into a gas container. It is possible to carry out a stable operation of the gas supply valve in spite of a change of environment due to vibration or heat while driving a vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas supply valve for a gas-powered vehicle comprising a valve body having a vertical stem opening,   a gas inlet member fixed to a lower end of the vertical stem opening to communicate with a gas container,   an upper part stem slidably and rotatably inserted into the vertical stem opening on an upper side of the gas inlet member,   a lower part stem slidably inserted into the vertical stem opening on the upper side of the gas inlet member to move up and down according to a rotation of the upper part stem,   a valve member disposed in the lower portion of the gas inlet member for opening and closing the lower end of the opening of the gas inlet member with the up and down movements of the lower part stem, said valve member being urged with a spring force in a direction to close the gas inlet,   a gas flow passage formed between the periphery of the lower part stem and the inner peripheral surface of the vertical stem opening to communicate the gas inlet and a gas supply passage formed in the valve body,   a ring-like seal member mounted onto the lower end portion of the upper part stem to contact an inside peripheral surface of the upper portion of the vertical stem opening with the peripheral surface of the ring-like seal member under pressure,   a ring-like stopper fixed to the upper opening portion of the vertical stem opening for receiving the upper end surface of the ring-like seal member with the under surface of the ring-like stopper, and   an O-ring fixed to the peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the lower part stem to contact with the inside peripheral surface of the vertical stem opening under pressure for filling up a clearance between the peripheral surface of the lower part stem and the inside peripheral surface of the vertical stem opening.   
     
     
       2. The gas supply valve for a gas-powered vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising multi-threaded screw means for connecting the lower end portion of the upper part stem and the upper part portion of the lower part stem, wherein the upper part stem is urged in a direction of rotation by pressing the lower part stem upwardly.   
     
     
       3. The gas supply valve for a gas-powered vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotation mechanism for the upper part stem, said rotation mechanism including: a spring for urging the upper part stem in a direction that the valve member closes the gas inlet of the gas inlet member,   a first disc member provided with the upper end portion of the upper part stem integrally and having a hitch projection with the periphery thereof and an engaging projection with the upper surface thereof,   a second disc member having an engaging projection with the lower surface thereof to engage with the engaging projection of the first disc member,   a motor for driving the second disc member,   a lock mechanism provided with a solenoid for disengagably engaging with the hitch projection of the first disc at a time that the gas inlet of the gas inlet member becomes in the opening state due to the down movement of the lower part stem by rotating the upper part stem against the spring with the rotation of the first disc member,   a first limit switch for stopping the motor, and   a second limit switch for changing a direction of rotation of the motor for driving the second disc member.   
     
     
       4. The gas supply valve for a gas-powered vehicle as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a rotation mechanism for the upper part stem, said rotation mechanism including: a spring for urging the upper part stem in a direction that the valve member closes the gas inlet of the gas inlet member,   a first disc member provided with the upper end portion of the upper part stem integrally and having a hitch projection with the periphery thereof and an engaging projection with the upper surface thereof,   a second disc member having an engaging projection with the lower surface to engage with the engaging projection of the first disc member,   a motor for driving the second disc member,   a lock mechanism provided with a solenoid for disengagably engaging with the hitch projection of the first disc at the time that the gas inlet of the gas inlet member becomes in the opening state due to the down movement of the lower part stem by rotating the upper part stem against the spring with the rotation of the first disc member,   a first limit switch for stopping the motor, and   a second limit switch for changing a direction of rotation of the motor for driving the second disc member.   
     
     
       5. A gas supply valve for a gas-powered vehicle comprising a valve body having a vertical stem opening,   a gas inlet member fixed to a lower end of the vertical stem opening to communicate with a gas container,   an upper part stem slidably and rotatably inserted into the vertical stem opening on an upper side of the gas inlet member,   a lower part stem slidably inserted into the vertical stem opening on the upper side of the gas inlet member to move up and down according to a rotation of the upper part stem,   a valve member disposed in the lower portion of the gas inlet member for opening and closing the lower end of the opening of the gas inlet member with the up and down movements of the lower part stem, said valve member being urged with a spring force in a direction to close the gas inlet,   a gas flow passage formed in the lower part stem to communicate its upper end opening with a gas supply passage formed in the valve body and communicate its lower opening with the gas inlet as the lower part stem moves down,   a ring-like seal member mounted onto the lower end portion of the upper part stem to contact the inside peripheral surface of the upper portion of the vertical stem opening with the peripheral surface of the ring-like seal member under pressure,   a ring-like stopper fixed to the upper opening portion of the vertical stem opening for receiving the upper end surface of the ring-like seal member with the under surface of the ring-like stopper.